Rotate tires on a 2012-2017 Toyota Camry to promote even tire wear and extend tire life, following the recommended rotation pattern for front-wheel drive vehicles.

Warnings

Tools required

Preparation

1. Park vehicle on level, solid ground and engage parking brake
2. Place wheel chocks behind rear wheels if lifting front first, or front wheels if lifting rear first
3. If desired, mark each tire with its current position (LF, RF, LR, RR) using chalk to track rotation
4. Loosen all lug nuts approximately one turn while vehicle is on the ground, but do not remove
5. Verify you have the correct torque specification for your wheel type (alloy: 130 Nm, steel: 140 Nm)

Procedure

1. 1

   Lift and secure the vehicle
   Lift the vehicle using the floor jack at the manufacturer-designated jacking points. Raise the vehicle high enough to place jack stands under all four corners. Position jack stands at the frame rails or designated support points. Lower the vehicle onto the jack stands and ensure all four stands are secure and supporting the weight evenly before proceeding.
2. 2

   Remove all four wheels
   Remove the lug nuts completely from all four wheels, keeping the nuts organized by wheel position. Remove all four wheels and set them aside in their respective positions to maintain tracking of the rotation pattern.
3. 3

   Rotate tires using forward cross pattern
   For this front-wheel drive Camry, use the forward cross pattern: Move the front left tire to the rear left position. Move the front right tire to the rear right position. Move the rear left tire to the front right position. Move the rear right tire to the front left position. This pattern ensures even wear distribution for FWD vehicles.
4. 4

   Install wheels in new positions
   Mount each tire onto its new hub position, ensuring the wheel is seated flush against the hub surface. Thread all lug nuts on by hand to prevent cross-threading. Tighten lug nuts in a star pattern by hand until all are snug and the wheel is pulled evenly against the hub.
5. 5

   Perform initial lug nut torque
   Using the torque wrench, tighten the lug nuts in a star pattern (for 5-lug wheels: tighten one lug, skip the adjacent lug, and tighten the opposite lug, continuing this pattern). For alloy wheels, torque to 130 Nm (96 lb-ft). For steel wheels, torque to 140 Nm (103 lb-ft). Make at least two complete passes in the star pattern to ensure even torque distribution.
   Torque spec

   Lug Nuts - Alloy Wheels130 Nm (96 lb-ft)

   Lug Nuts - Steel Wheels140 Nm (103 lb-ft)
6. 6

   Lower vehicle and perform final torque
   Carefully raise the vehicle slightly with the floor jack to unload the jack stands, then remove all four jack stands. Lower the vehicle completely to the ground. With the vehicle's full weight on the wheels, perform a final torque check on all lug nuts in the star pattern, ensuring each wheel's lug nuts are at the proper specification for your wheel type.
7. 7

   Adjust tire pressures
   Check and adjust tire pressures to the specifications listed on the driver's door jamb placard (typically 32-35 PSI for Camry, but verify on your specific vehicle). Front and rear pressures may differ, so ensure each tire is set to the correct pressure for its new position.

Reassembly

1. Ensure all lug nuts are torqued to proper specification in star pattern
2. Store jack, jack stands, and tools properly in vehicle

Verification

• Verify all lug nuts are tight by attempting to loosen each one with the torque wrench set to the proper specification - they should not move
• Test drive the vehicle at low speed and listen for any unusual vibrations or noises from the wheels
• If you have alloy wheels, recheck lug nut torque after driving 50 miles as specified in the torque requirements
• Verify tire pressures are correct for each position after rotation
• Record the mileage and date of rotation for future maintenance tracking

More procedures for this vehicle